Pinki Pramanik seeks help from Mamata, centre

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Last Updated: Thu, Nov 15, 2012 15:13 hrs

Kolkata: Asian Games gold medallist athlete Pinki Pramanik, who has been accused of being a male and charged with rape, Thursday sought the intervention of the West Bengal and central governments in her case.

"She should give attention to the case. She should intervene. I will write to her in the next few days seeking a meeting," said Pramanik, seeking Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's support.

"This whole episode is an insult to the government of India, for whom I won the medals...I feel bad that my gender is being discussed in public. No athlete will come forward in Bengal," said Pramanik, who is mulling writing to the union sports ministry.

Pinki has been in the news for wrong reasons ever since the athlete's live-in partner accused her of "being a male who repeatedly raped me". Following the accusations, Pinki was arrested June 24 and made to undergo medical tests to determine her gender.

The athlete was released on bail July 11.

Alleging a "huge conspiracy" by police who have charge sheeted her for rape, Pramanik had said "the investigating authorities are trying to force me to commit suicide".

The athlete has even threatened to file a defamation case against investigators and a government lawyer for "defaming and trying to outrage my modesty".

Pinki, who retired from athletics three years ago, won gold in the 4x400 metres relay at the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar's capital Doha. Pinki was a silver medallist at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games the same year.